Nightmares
by FangirlingPetrichor
Summary: Dean suffers from terrible nightmares, mostly from hell, that mean he can't sleep without the help or presence of Castiel :3 Plan to be really fluffy, mainly storyline-but-with-Destiel-woven-in, please review!
1. Chapter 1

Cas looked round at Dean again, having heard Dean's whimpering start up again. Having nowhere else to be, Cas had chosen to watch over the green eyed hunter he loved whilst the nights fell and the days were reborn. The whimpering and soft cries whilst Dean slept were not uncommon, and whilst their regularity calmed Cas' initial alarm, he was still worried. Cas knew he could easily quell the cries and let Dean sleep peacefully. He kept considering it, considering giving Dean the peace he deserved, but that would require holding the hunter's head and "mojoing", as Dean put it. Cas doubted Dean would take kindly to Cas invading his dreams. So the angel continued to explore the living room in Bobby's house, learning how to move quietly and not wake Dean, who every night crashed on the sofa.

Only once had he been caught watching over Dean; when Cas was fiddling with an old Polaroid camera he found on a shelf, and it made a loud, alarming sound. Dean had blearily opened his eyes, halfway through his four hours, but had fallen right back asleep when Cas apologised and attempted at a smile. Two hours after that, Dean had assumed it was some odd dream and rapidly forgot about it, though it had stuck at the back of Cas' mind like glue. Dean, the ever alert, sharp witted hunter, who would be up and out of bed in a heartbeat if there was any attacker, had readily accepted Cas' presence in the looming dark and hadn't batted an eyelid. This small sign of trust, and acceptance without aggression had meant the world to the humble angel, and meant his protectiveness over Dean had only grown stronger.

So today, after 36 hours of flat out tracking and hunting, Dean was catching up on lost sleep. Sam had made him turn out the lights early, and Cas was very happy that Dean was still heavily sleeping after 5 hours. What continued to bother him, though, were the mutters and occasional cries, sometimes for help, that escaped from Dean's nightmares. Cas had so closely intervened night before last, when Dean had lashed out and his whole body had rocked up, his back arched, and had fits of choked yelling.

It seemed to be continuing tonight, and Cas nervously watched Dean, torn between helping him sleep and not getting yelled at. Cas' eyes shifted back to the book on various ways of tying ties, but he found he could not concentrate when his beloved hunter was sleeping so fitfully beside him. Dean started yelling again, Cas tensed again, and willed the hours to go by so Dean could wake. Then Cas heard his name. "CAS," Dean called out in his sleep "CAS HELP!"

It sounded strangled, and Dean drew in a shuddering breath. He started gasping, and Cas' hands were poised over Dean's face, ready at any moment to save Dean from the nightmares. Dean's throat had constricted, and Dean was thrashing about, needing air desperately. Why wasn't he waking up? Humans woke up to this kind of stimulation?! Cas panicked, and looking up and around for any last sources of help, his face set and he quickly set his hands down onto Dean's forehead.

* * *

He felt his presence inside Dean's head and took a while to adjust to the chaos surrounding him. It was dizzied from needing air, panicked, and terrifying. Flashes of and screams from hell surrounded Cas, and fast flickering memories from Jo and Ellen, Sam, and who Cas recognised as John. Screaming and wailing and the sound of retching all reached Cas' ears in the few moments he had been inside Dean's head, already Cas desperately wanted to get out. He searched frantically for a manifestation of Dean's consciousness he could talk to, and spotted a sobbing one grasping onto a tan trench coat. It was dirty, bloodstained, and half covering a dead version of himself.

"Dean!" Cas called, "Dean wake up!" His gravely voice trying to be heard over the heated screams and dizzied wasteland of Dean's mind. "DEAN!" Cas yelled angrily, aware that Dean's throat was still restricted. A sobbing wreck of the hunter he loved turned and looked at him, no light in his eyes, broken and defeated and covered in scars and blood.

"Dean," Cas began hurriedly "You're in a dream. This isn't real. Wake up, I am still alive." Dean's world started to slant and became blotched black, and Cas could feel the restriction tightening in on them. Dean needed to calm down so his muscles would relax, now!

"Dean," Cas' voice shaked "Dean listen to me. I am not dead, you are dreaming. You need to calm down," Cas glanced at the shrieking chaos still consuming the parts that weren't blacked out. Cas pulled the hunter to his feet "We need to get you out of here," and Cas looked for a happy memory admist the rubble of Dean's soul. Anything positive. The Impala! A good start, Cas knew it meant a lot to Dean. Half dragging Dean toward it, he continued yelling, trying to explain why Dean was okay.

The frantic angel could feel that Dean was weak, but the claustrophobic atmosphere was beginning to lighten up. Then Cas saw a memory of Dean's mother, and hauled him over to that. A narrow path of good things could just be seen snaking its way amongst the chaos. People Dean had saved, people Dean loved, people who loved Dean. Cas saw a lot of himself here, which confused him slightly. It also confused him why he had dragged Dean away from Cas' body of all things, when memories of hell were vying for attention too. Suddenly, the pressing darkness released, and the Dean Cas was clutching in his arms gasped, gripping tightly to the angel's arm.

"You're breathing," Cas was relieved. He continued to pull Dean away from the nightmares clawing themselves towards the couple. "Come on."

He pulled Dean next to a memory of watching fireworks, and addressed him seriously "Dean think of your happiest memories, and go there." Cas needed to get out whilst Dean was still sleeping, but couldn't allow the nightmares to catch up, "Go!"

Dean blinked, perplexed "Cas...?"

"I said go!"

Dean opened his mouth in surprise, but then clutched at his head as a wash of water crashed over the two. Had Dean drowned once? Cas thrashed his way closer, "HAPPY MEMORIES, Dean you HAVE to understand," and Dean started thinking distractedly. Happy, happy, happy. He dredged up memories of his mother, that Christmas when he and Sam had earned enough money to buy each other presents, the first time he won something at a fete, saving the lives of a whole plane full of people. A rushing delight when Cas had appeared as soon as Dean had prayed, when Dean had been a father to Ben, when he had saved Sam's life, that chest achingly funny time that Dean had taken Cas to a strip club...

Cas fended off grinning images of Azazel and tortured, half broken people from hell. He tried not to attack them, even Cas didn't know what would happen if you killed some subconscious. They were getting weaker though, and Cas managed to knee a demented Uriel in the face before they all grew weak, washed out and hazy. Calmed, Cas turned to Dean before planning to extricate himself from Dean's dream, only to have his attention snagged by a memory Dean had pulled up and an alternate version of what happened. It was after a hunt for some particularly vicious vampires, when Cas had joined them in an effort to make friends. Cas had enjoyed that hunt too, but Dean's dream ending was different. Instead of Cas taking his leave, Dean had persuaded him to stay for food and beer.

"C'mon Cas, it'll be fun" Dean was saying to a Cas replica. The replica's shoes and chest were slightly fuzzy, but its eyes, hair, mouth, and coat stood out in great, studied detail. "Okay Dean," it, he, said, and an evening of talking with Cas, Bobby, and Sam played out. Bluesy music was playing and dream Cas was smiling at a joke he managed to understand. This was one of the best places for Dean? Now that Cas thought about it, it was him, Sam, and Bobby that were closest to him, physically and emotionally. A summer evening with 60s/70s music, burger and beer was Dean's messed up, but equally beautiful version of tranquil.

A few endings to the fantasy phased in and out, but the strongest one was where they walked outside to an air with late night sea breeze, and the starred sky burst with many colourful fireworks; the 4 of them standing there for ages unending, in a bubble of delight, and Dean standing close to dream Cas, patting him on the back, smiling at dream Cas' face which was transfixed on the fireworks. It began to fade, and Cas started in a panic and quickly pulled himself out of Dean's head, his own mind still reeling from not only the fireworks, which were stunning, but also the intensity of dream Cas' accuracy. His eyes had shined bright and his reactions to the bursts of colour against the night sky perfect.

Cas looked down at the sleeping form of Dean, the hunter's eyes beginning to flicker, and Cas swiped up the book on ties and held it, still staring at Dean and pondering his happiest dream.

The human's eyes squeezed and flickered and scrunched when Dean let out a peaceful yawn. He looked up at Cas, sleepy confusion on his face.

"Oh hey Cas," He stretched, "Why's your book upside down?"

* * *

**Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed, please review because I don't know whether to continue or not, so I'm basing it on what you guys think :3 I have a full storyline mapped out, and currently a second chapter to upload if you like it :) Have a brilliant day everyone, stay groovy ~Petrichor**


	2. Chapter 2

**Many thanks to Dimac.31 and Tel nok shock for their reviews :)**

* * *

Cas was flustered, and his brow furrowed as he searched for something to say. "My apologies... if... I woke you up," was the least conspicuous reply that came to his brain. He moved away from Dean, and placed the book down next to a chair opposite. Sitting, Cas studied Dean's face, at a loss for what to say. Humans didn't often have the problem of invading other people's heads, so the angel was unsure as to how to ask.

"Dean..." Cas started.

"Yes Cas?..." Early morning drawl thickening his voice, Dean rubbed his eyes and gazed sleepily at the angel.

"Why, was your nightmare, one of me dying?"

". . . Cas, what are you talking about?" Dean squinted, "What do you mean, nightmare?"

"I heard you screaming so I tried to help you in your dream... I was dying. And your happiest dream was watching fireworks." Cas' head couldn't tip any further to the side. "I was wondering why it wasn't hell, or your time with Lisa."

"Cas, I don't have time for this. I need some coffee or something. And... And just don't invade people's dreams, okay?"

"Okay, Dean."

Cas looked around, and then at his shoes. How did anyone get straight answers when talking to humans? Cas didn't know. Maybe he'd ask again later, though Dean didn't seem to want to talk about it. Maybe he wouldn't. It also worried Cas at how broken up Dean had been at his death. Maybe he should talk about it. "Dean..."

"Cas, I said I didn't want to talk about it, okay?" Dean rounded on Cas.

"Actually you said you needed coffee."

Dean rolled his eyes and strode towards the kitchen. "What were you doin', standing there when I was sleeping anyway? I told you, that's creepy man."

"My apologies. You were, screaming, quite loudly." Cas glanced up.

Dean paused, "Look man, thanks for whatever you did in there, but I can take care of myself, okay?"

". . . Okay." Cas looked down again.

* * *

So Castiel resigned to just watching, letting Dean's fitful sleeping continue. Sometimes Dean's muscles spasmed and his throat constricted again, but after he would essentially black out, they relaxed and he would wake up. Dean didn't comment on Cas' vigilance by his bedside, and Cas didn't try to help him. Until Sam intervened, that is.

"Look man, you look like crap, are you sure you're sleeping properly?" Sam bitchfaced to Dean. Sam was fully aware of the broken nights where Dean would yell and Cas would look on, ashamed and agitated, doing nothing. "You know, Cas can help. He's an angel, you don't have to suffer all these nights where-"

"Where what, Sam? Where I remember all the crap that's happened to me? There's nothing Cas can do short of wiping my memory, so thanks, but no thanks. I'd rather leave him out of this."

"Cas has been through crap just like us Dean. Just give him some credit."

"Sam! I don't need an angel poking through my head, just so I can get a couple more minutes shut-eye. I have to deal with this on my own. There's nothing Cas can do, there's nothing anyone can do, just... Just let me come to terms with whatever happened."

"Dean, listen to me, you're not getting enough sleep, you can barely close your eyes without yelling. Just give him a chance!"

"Dean." Cas hesitated and Dean jumped. "Sam is right, you know. I can help. Instead of entering your head, I can use my grace... But I warn you, the effects in your head will grow stronger each time I use it -" Dean looked round at Sam, triumphed, "- But that's not to say it won't work."

* * *

That night, Dean steeled himself for Castiel to climb back into his head. He sat rigidly in a chair, too anxious and coiled to sleep. Cas didn't do much to help, he just stood with his hand hovering near, waiting 'til Dean hit the hay.

"So, run me through again what goes on, Cas," Sam asked.

"Humans, sleep, with their defences down. I can enter Dean's head and hold back the nightmares."

"No, the part about the susceptibility of Dean versus other people."

"The mind of a hunter will be more... Twisted. And more complicated to navigate. There is a lot of pain and mental strength. So whereas a child might need one night with an angel's grace to be at peace, Dean may need some more."

"Wait what?" Dean latched onto that, "You mean your mojo is a once a night kind of deal and I have to sleep with you every time otherwise these nightmares come back?"

Sam was visibly smirking at Dean and Cas having to sleep together, however Cas looked sorrowful. If only he could be of more use. "Yes, Dean." Then Cas pressed "And the effects will be greater each time. Low mind defences latch on to regular environments because it begins to feel normal. You will feel more at peace each time, however you may become... Addicted."

* * *

A silence hung in the air, "Addicted?! Could you not have mentioned that a bit sooner, Cas?!" Dean's voice rose "You've already been in once, does that mean I'm already "addicted"?"

"No, I did not use my grace to help you then, Dean. I used a physical manifestation of myself to pull you away. Had I used my grace to hold back the nightmares then yes, you would be beginning to feel addicted." Cas glanced at their glares "I can do that again, but would be once a night and Dean said he didn't want me entering his head and witnessing all his memories." Cas paused again, "They can be used in some sort of conjunction too. Entering your head can be considered as some sort of... Rehab... For the effects of my grace."

"This is so goddamn complicated," Dean groaned. "So you mojo my head nearly every night because I'm so messed up, but I get addicted, or I mind-meld with you every single night 'til these nightmares clear themselves up?" Dean squinted at Cas.

"Essentially yes..."

"Go for the mojoing."

"Dean!" Sam yelped, and dragged him over to the corner. "What do you think you're doing? You heard Cas, you'll get addicted and he'll have to come back every night! With the other one you can choose not to. Look, I know how bad addiction is, and believe me, you don't want it."

"I am seriously messed up, Sam. There's some crap in my head that no one should see, let alone Cas. And that's final, I'm going for the mojoing."

Dean turned back to the angel "Mojo away, Spock."

* * *

**Okay so the storyline just got started :3 I have a whole story planned out so please carry on reading! And you'll be pleased to know that fluff is guaranteed :D I feel like I'm more excited than anyone else about this :3 Ah, so enjoy guys! 3 ~Petrichor**


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